Federal spending on California's proposed high-speed rail system should be halted until September while a government report is prepared on the $99-billion-plus system's viability, an Antelope Valley congressman told a congressional panel Thursday.

Some local veterans swear they wouldn't be alive today if it weren't for the health care they receive from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Others say dealing with the VA is like walking through molasses. You may someday reach your destination -- if you live that long.